Edred Thorsson - Rune Might: The Secret Practices of the German Rune Magicians

To the Trailblazers

RUNE MIGHT

Throughout my adult life, in both the esoteric and academic worlds, Edreds books have been permanent companions. His books combine structure and academic rigor with a highly effective system for practicing rune magic. He knows all the Nordic languages, runes, and Old Norse and has a strong background as a practicing magician. No runic system is unknown to him, and it is always happy news when new books appear by him or newer editions of his classic works are released. To read the works of Edred is part of the initiation into the secrets of the runes.

THOMAS KARLSSON, PH.D., SENIOR LECTURER IN HISTORY, RELIGION, AND PHILOSOPHY AT STOCKHOLM UNIVERSITY, RESEARCH FELLOW AT YALE UNIVERSITY, AND AUTHOR OF NIGHTSIDE OF THE RUNES

Edreds Rune Might examines the intriguing and eccentric characters associated with runic esotericism in early twentieth-century Germany, providing both the historical and cultural background necessary for understanding their work as well as a practical introduction to their actual magical techniques. It is a job for which he is uniquely qualified. Up until now, most Anglophone readers have likely caught only fleeting glimpses of this material in the tawdry (and mostly fictional) mass-market paperbacks and midnight movie-style documentaries devoted to 'Nazi occultism. With Rune Might, the first wave of serious modern rune magicians can finally take their place within the more meaningful context of the European esoteric tradition and the history of Western ritual magic. It is a treatment that is long overdue, and one that will be appreciated both by scholarly minded students of the occult and by those intrepid souls who are attempting to revive the runic tradition today.

JOSHUA BUCKLEY, COEDITOR OF TYR: MYTH, CULTURE, TRADITION

No form of the runes is more controversialand misunderstoodthan the Armanen runes, originally arranged and interpreted by Guido von List and later co-opted by the Nazis, who ignored and undermined their true intent and meaning. Edred Thorsson delves into this fascinating area of rune-work while demonstrating his skill as the foremost figure in speculative runology. He is a scholar-magician who can interpret these runes and the practices associated with them in their true context, and with a careful eye for the legitimate and relevant facts about their sometimes outr associations. Ever mindful that an effective neo-tradition must have deep roots in the true tradition, Thorsson places the Armanen runes in their proper place in relation to the three primary historic rows, while suggesting fascinating practices that lead to a true synthesis of the eternal mysteries behind these runic systems.

TOBY CHAPPELL, GRAND MASTER OF THE ORDER OF THE TRAPEZOID AND AUTHOR OF INFERNAL GEOMETRY AND THE LEFT-HAND PATH

... an instant classic. Edred takes us to the depths of the Armanic runic renaissance and beyond. This is truly a complete and comprehensive edition of Rune Might, one that will stand the test of time. It is required reading for all second degree members of the Knights of Runes.

SIEGFRIED, GRAND RUNE MASTER OF THE KNIGHTS OF RUNES

A welcome development within occult publishing is the increased emphasis on the cultural and historical context of significant traditions, organizations, and individuals. Edred Thorsson has been providing such needed context for years in his many works, and this revised edition of Rune Might is more vital now than ever. Whether one is a historian of the occult in general or someone who specifically wants to understand the relationship between the ancient runic tradition and the recreations of the early twentieth-century rune magicians, Rune Might is essential reading.

LOTHAR TUPPAN, WRITER AND PRODUCER OF AUDIO DRAMAS AND MASTER IN THE RUNE-GILD

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

My gratitude goes out to Bert Rogge, an initiate of the Armanen-Orden and part of the old guard and short-term president of the Guido von List Society, who, toward the end of his life, bequeathed his collection of Guido von List volumes to me. Thanks also to Michael Moynihan, Ph.D., Annabel Moynihan, Markus Wolff, A. D. Mercer, Karl Hans Welz, and Matthew Blankenburg for their help with research for this edition. A special note of acknowledgment goes to James Chisholm for his illustrations that were created for the original edition and to Tara Wheeler for her work in preparing and revising illustrations and tables for reproduction in the second edition.

Abbreviations and Special Terms

BCE Before the Common Era (B.C.)

CE Common Era (A.D.)

Ger. German

I-rune, S-rune, N-rune, and so on These typically refer to the Armanic Futhork runes unless otherwise specified by context.

PREFACE TO THE THIRD EDITION

(2018)

When the first edition of his book was published close to thirty years ago, the world of the early twentieth-century German rune occultists was barely known in the English-speaking realm. This book, along with my translation of Guido von Lists The Secret of the Runes (Destiny Books, 1988), opened the door to this world, interest in which has, to my surprise, grown quite vigorously over the years. My original intention was to quench the curiosity of the current esoteric rune investigators so they would move on to the more academically established traditions of the historical futharks. The story of the growing interest in the Armanen tradition and that of the other rune occultists of the dawn of the past century has taught me that there is still much of value to learn from the Armanen school that can be put to use today. Another impetus to this revival of interest is the long-awaited book Wotans Awakening: The Life and Times of Guido von List, a Runemaster in fin-de-sicle Vienna, by Eckehard Lenthe, published by Dominion in 2018.

The world of the German runic esotericists of the first half of the twentieth century holds a fascination on many levels. Some just want to understand the history, personalities, and theories of these often eccentric individuals. I have tried to satisfy more of this interest with the additional material in this edition. Others want to experience the practical side of what these men taught, and Rune Might contains copious amounts of material for those readers and students as well.

Many corners of the world we will explore in these pages are fraught with aspects that could be found to be politically incorrect. When I was growing up I had never heard these words, and I happily explored where the facts and my interests led me. I present the ideas of the men in these pages in an objective way and do not judge them morally. These men were interested in the esotericthe hidden worldand they were not afraid to explore it. Occasionally they paid a great personal price for their interests. In these pages the reader will learn about the mystery of the Hagal-rune, which for the Armanen was a symbol of the enduring and invincible force of life and the persistence of meaning. Upon its underlying sixfold pattern is built the snowflake, but in its symbolism we do not see an easily melted and ephemeral temperament, but rather the ever-recurring, ever-returning paradigm of endurance that can survive even in the most hostile of environments. Such is an important tonic for what ails us today.